The Lord is risen, alleluia!

This is our passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night when first you saved our fathers:
you free the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.

This is the night when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin
and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night when Jesus Christ
broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?

The Observer staff would like to wish you a very blessed and happy Easter!

Earlier this year The Observer reported that the Archdiocese of Boston had launched an initiative inviting Catholics to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Archdiocese is continuing that initiative, The Light Is On For You, this Advent.  All parishes in the Boston Archdiocese will be open for confession between 6:30pm and 8pm tomorrow (12/15) and next Wednesday (12/22).  Visit their website at http://www.thelightisonforyou.org/ for more information.

Sacrament of Reconciliation
Advent 2010
Wednesday, December 15 & 22
6:30-8:00pm
All parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Sister Joseph Andrew, Sister Mary Anne, and Sister Maria Jose (left to right)

On Thursday, October 7th, three Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, Sister Joseph Andrew, Sister Maria Jose, and Sister Mary Anne, came to BC to speak about their Order, share their vocation stories, and encourage others to discern whether they are being called to the priesthood or religious life. This past summer, the Sisters appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, garnering them attention from the national media.

Sister Joseph Andrew spoke about the Order’s appearance on Oprah over the summer, and also spoke a bit about the history of the Order. Sister Maria Jose and Sister Mary Ann both shared their vocation stories. All three of the Sisters encouraged students to consider the religious life, and to devote time to discerning the state of life to which God is calling them.

The Catholic Press Association bestowed the award upon Prophetic Witness at a recent dinner. The CPA wrote, “This collection of deeply thoughtful essays from leading Catholic women theologians deserves to be read by small groups in every Catholic parish. The topics are broad, the suggestions for change are practical, the spirit of the writing is inspirational. This book says what many American Catholics, men and women, want from and for the Catholic Church of the twenty-first century.”

According to its website, The Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada, founded in 1911, assists “its members to serve effectively, through the medium of the printed word and electronic media, the social, intellectual and spiritual needs of the entire human family, and to spread and support the Kingdom of God.”

Some other contributors to Prophetic Witness are BC STM Associate Professor Francine Cardman, Assistant Professor Nancy Pineda-Madrid, and Associate Professor Jane Regan, as well as the Department of Theology Associate Professor M. Shawn Copeland.

Professor Griffith received her doctorate in Theology from Harvard Divinity School.  Her interests lie in historical and contemporary spirituality and theological anthropology and feminist theology. At STM she oversees and directs the Post-Masters Certificate Program in the Practice of Spirituality in addition to full time teaching.

Congratulations to Griffith and all the women who contributed to this work and continue to make strides in the area of gender issues in the modern Church.

On August 26th 2010 the world will celebrate the 100th anniversary of a poor nun from Calcutta, Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa. This anniversary marks the centennial of a woman who has made some of the greatest accomplishments in history. Mother Teresa founded a religious order called “Missionaries of Charity” who, since 2007, have 600 missions, schools and homes in 120 countries where thousands of her nuns currently work.

Mother Teresa’s mission in life was to do the will of God, especially by the corporeal works of mercy: To feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, and bury the dead. Her literal participation in these works has help feed, clothe, care for, love, and bring the light of God to a countless number of people worldwide. She even was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom to name a few.

The Catholic League wants to honor this saintly woman by a simple gesture of having the Empire State Building lit up on August 26th in blue and white, the colors of the habits of the nuns she founded. This act of having the Empire State Building lit to honor groups or people is common: It was lit to honor 9/11, the Gay Pride Parade in New York, and to honor the Chinese Communist Revolution just to name a few.

Yet there is a problem. The Empire State Building refuses to do so, without any reason. Yep, they have no problem lighting the building in yellow and red to honor Chairman Mao who had an estimated 77 million people killed while he ruled over Communist China. But a woman who in her poverty and love helped a countless number of children, sick, and poor- the heck with her!

Descent Americans should not be surprised. Even the US Postal Services were harassed by the UCLA because they are planning on issuing a stamp to honor Mother Teresa. Believe it or not there is an anti-Catholic and liberal bias of the media today. This is not complete by any means, but the mainstream media has historically been cautious and critical of the Catholic Church. Why one may ask? I think it is because the Church is the largest, strongest, and most consistent voice promoting true morals and ethics, and the Church voices herself against the possible problems with secular liberalism. The Catholic Church is the voice of Christ in the world.

So it seems whatever committee who allows the colored lights to shine at the Empire State Building wants to give a lesson to children, women, men, and most directly the Church: If you desire to truly help the helpless and love the lonely, you better do so with the lights off. But as believers we do not fear, for we have our own Light, and Christ the True Light will shine through any darkness, even the darkness that will cast a shadow in the skies of New York on August 26th.

The author is a fourth year seminarian at St. John’s Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts.

Congratulations!  You have completed your first semester as chair of the theology department, and it has included the very important milestone of approving a new mission statement.  This is already a great success.

As you are aware, Father Leahy has stated that his vision for Boston College is that it become “the world’s greatest Catholic university.”  This is quite a goal, and you are going to play a large part in the process.  Certainly the merger with Weston is the beginning of something great at the graduate level, but there is still an important role to play for the non-ecclesiastical faculty.  If I may, I would like to propose to you a way forward for the department.

It seems as if the department really has two sub-divisions.  I am going to speak first about comparative theology, and then second about Catholic theology.  I think having both makes Boston College a stronger academic institution.  It is important, however, that the comparative theology scholars never become religious relativists, for truth does matter.  It may be of great benefit for all the members sometime to travel to Rimini, Italy to attend the annual Communion and Liberation Meeting for Friendship among Peoples, which is, in many ways, exactly what the department should be working towards: a non-relativistic but a non-hostile discussion of comparative theology.  Of course, the comparative theology professors should draw from all traditions: Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Buddhist, Shinto, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim.  There should even be Protestant theology, but of the Karl Barth type, a serious scholar.  I completely trust that you will strengthen this part of the department, as it is the part you do most of your own work in.  I do think it is fitting that, since it is a Catholic theology department, the chair should always be a Catholic.  I believe this is already required.

However, my main concern is for the other half of the department.  This other half should be teaching Catholic theology, and as Ex corde ecclesiae says, that means all those teaching it should be Catholics who have the mandatum.  Does anyone have the mandatum in the department?  I am sure some would be able to get it, and maybe they already have, but no student knows coming in who they might be.  I would greatly appreciate it if those who could receive the mandatum did, and then this was known publicly, as it would make choosing classes easier for students.  Some students do want to know what the Church teaches and they do want to know who they can trust to tell them that.  At the same time, I don’t think we should just go fire anyone who does not have the mandatum.  But we need to begin heading in the right direction for the implementation of the document.  Can we at least require that all new tenure-track hires for this half of the department are Catholics who have the mandatum and require that to receive tenure they have the mandatum?  This would at least begin to restore some theological sanity to the department.

I know that moving in this direction will make you thoroughly unpopular, but it is the right to thing to do both for Boston College and for the Church, and I imagine you would have the support of the administration.

Thank you for considering my suggestion.

Daniel Molinaro

Personal interactions between the confessor and penitent will also be available to accommodate those who prefer face-to-face confessions. Spiritual direction and counseling will be available for non-Catholics. Catholics who do not usually take advantage of the Sacrament are encouraged to come and experience the healing power of Confession. Those who regularly attend are encouraged to bring a friend who may not have experienced the Sacrament in some time. If the event is successful, campus ministry hopes to have a series of “Midnight Mercy” events in the coming year.

More information may be found on this event via the facebook page found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123997304281594&ref=ts

The Vatican's YouTube Channel

The Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) has announced its theme for the 2010 collection campaign on May 16 to raise funds for local and national Catholic communication initiatives.

The theme “Help Us Connect the World with God’s Word!” has been chosen for the fund-raising effort that pays for many Catholic media projects.  The money will support Catholic newspapers, radio and television productions, and internet and mobile media, including podcasts and YouTube videos.

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, chair of the CCC, said “Many Catholics turn to their mobile devices to find the world. The Church needs to be in that world.”

In his message for 2010 World Communication Day, Pope Benedict XVI said:

The development of the new technologies and the larger digital world represents a great resource for humanity as a whole and for every individual, and it can act as a stimulus to encounter and dialogue. But this development likewise represents a great opportunity for believers. No door can or should be closed to those who, in the name of the risen Christ, are committed to drawing near to others. To priests in particular the new media offer ever new and far-reaching pastoral possibilities, encouraging them to embody the universality of the Church’s mission, to build a vast and real fellowship, and to testify in today’s world to the new life which comes from hearing the Gospel of Jesus, the eternal Son who came among us for our salvation.

The special collection for the CCC will take place on the weekend of World Communication Day (May 15 and 16), though some dioceses may choose to move it to a different day.

Relevant Links:

• Papal Message for World Communication Day 2010
• Papal Message for World Communication Day 2009
• The Vatican’s YouTube Channel
• The Catholic Communication Campaign

We [the Archdiocese of Boston] would urge the return of the following liturgical practices throughout the Archdiocese by Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010:

1. To return to the practice of distributing Holy Communion under both species;
2. To include once again the option of a handshake as a sign of peace.

In an interview with The Observer this past December, Father Robert VerEecke,  pastor of St. Ignatius Parish, expressed his hope that these liturgical practices would resume, saying that “Without the offering of the blood of Christ, people are feeling that something very important is missing from the celebration of the Eucharist.”

The Catholic Church believes that Christ is sacramentally present in both the bread and wine, but that reception of both species is a more complete sign of communion.

Since Christ is sacramentally present under each of the species, communion under the species of bread alone makes it possible to receive all the fruit of Eucharistic grace. For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. But “the sign of communion is more complete when given under both kinds, since in that form the sign of the Eucharistic meal appears more clearly.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1390)

The flu prevention directives were issued by the Archdiocese on October 31,  2009 in response to a widespread H1N1 flu threat and a suggestion by the United  States Conference of Catholic  Bishops.  More information can be found in the December 8, 2009 article of The Observer.

The evening began with a talk by Gostin, in which he explained the concept of the Festival, the history of the carols to be played, and the history of the various instruments present in the ensemble.

A 12-member choir sang the various carols accompanied by a consort of percussion, guitar, violin, violoncello, bass and tenor trombone, oboe, recorder, lute, and English horn.

The Festival, originally an Anglican tradition, featured nine scripture readings, or lessons, narrating the Christmas story with a complementary carol following each reading. As a special touch, each reading and carol was in a romance language.

The choir processed in with the chant Letabundus sung in Latin and then performed Convidando Está La Noche in Spanish. The first lesson was from Genesis 3, the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, was read in Latin and the hymn Veni, Veni, Emanuel followed. The second lesson, in French, was the story of God’s promise to Abraham and the carol Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes, which we more commonly know as Angels We Have Heard on High.

The third lesson, in Italian, was from Isaiah, foretelling the coming of the Savior with the Quando Nascette Ninno. A passage from Isaiah about the peace the Christ brings read in Portugese and the instrumental tune Branle De L‘Official were the fourth lesson. The fifth lesson returned to Spanish with a reading of the Visitation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary from the Gospel of Luke and the carol E La Don Don followed by an instrumental version of Verbum Caro Factus Est. The sixth lesson, in French, was the birth of Christ according to Luke and the songs Entre Le Bœuf Et L’âne Gris and Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle.

The seventh lesson told the story of the shepherds going to the manger, in Spanish, with the carol O Mangnum Mysterium. A reading of the story of the wise men led by the star and Noël Nouvelet in French made up the eighth lesson. The ninth and final lesson, in Italian, was the opening passage from John’s Gospel, unfolding the great mystery of the Incarnation followed by the carol Gaudete! (Rejoice!) sung in Latin.

After the lessons, the audience joined together with the choir to sing Silent Night with each verse in a different language. The choir then concluded the evening with a beautiful performance of Riu, Riu, Chiu. The choir, instrumentalists, and lectors were Boston College students and faculty, members of the Jesuit community, and parishioners of St. Ignatius church.

Daniel Gostin and all involved presented a wonderful celebration of scripture and music helping all present prepare for the coming Christmas season. Good job, Dan!

The experience was an interesting one, and I am glad I attended. While most in attendance appeared to be either priests or seminarians, some students and families came as well. It goes without saying that I did not know what to say, when to stand, or when to kneel, but thanks to my two years in high school choir, I could sing along to the opening and closing hymns.

During the Mass, the priest spoke of John the Baptist and his directing the people to be selfless. For a more detailed and theological explanation, I would ask one of our Catholic Issues writers.

Assisting in the Mass was former Observer Executive Editor and current seminarian Donato Infante III. After the Mass concluded, the attendees gathered in the dining hall for a complimentary lunch courtesy of BC dining. I got the chance to catch up with Donato and meet a couple of the other seminarians. They offered a very unique perspective on life, and I enjoyed hearing their stories and thoughts.

High Mass was a fascinating experience. I would definitely consider going again.

Cronin began her talk by explaining why the topic of dating was important to her.  She recalled a discussion with students after a panel talk at Boston College.  They were seniors, so she began to ask them about how they were dealing with relationships since they were about to graduate.

I said, “What about boyfriends and girlfriends, what about relationships [...] what are you going to do?”  There was silence.  No talking.  I thought, “Did I ask a strange question?”  And here’s the thing: of the eight students I was with, all of them gorgeous, on the inside and out: beautiful people, high powered, smart, bright, extroverted [...] only one had gone on a date at Boston College.  And I thought, “What the heck is going on here [...] how can that be?”  And they said, “Oh Kerry, we don’t do that stuff anymore.  We don’t date.  We just hook up.”

She began studying the “hook-up culture” and talking to students about relationships on campus.  She said she’s heard, on campuses around the country, many of the same things about hooking-up.

Prof. Cronin selects the winner of a gift certificate to use on a date

Cronin defined hooking up as “a physical sexual interaction with no perceived intention of a relationship.”  She emphasized that the word perceived, because she found that most students rarely know what the other person perceives as the intention of the hook-up, and many aren’t even sure of their own intentions.

She categorized hook-ups into different categories.  “I had five, but when I got to Fairfield University in September they added a sixth.  And when I got to Assumption they tried to add a seventh,” said Cronin.

• Pure hook-up – “Literally, bumping into somebody at a party,” these are one-time random events.
• Regular hook-up – Hooking up with the same person on a regular basis
• Friends with benefits – As a philosophy professor, Cronin explained that “This doesn’t fit into any of Aristotle’s categories on friendship.”
• Hookup with hope – Believing the hook-up could turn into something romantic.  It’s “tough, because you never know who’s hoping.”
• Mistake hook-up – The hook-up you regret immediately afterward

Cronin continued by explaining what she considered the ten unspoken rules of the hook-up culture.

1. Be chill – “The golden rule of hook-up culture”
2. Go to a party – “Hook-ups don’t often happen after class”
3. Drink - Equal amounts as the person with whom you want to hook-up.
4. Do not talk about the hook-up while it is happening
5. Don’t act interested about anything in the person’s room
6. Know where your shoes are at all times -  “Nobody wants the awkward moment [of] ‘Where are my shoes?’”
7. Please don’t stay over
8. Learn to text – “No one calls anymore and leaving voice mail messages is so rude.”
9. It’s a good story – “It’s not really fun until you’ve told it several times”
10. Don’t expect anything

Having explained the types of, and rules for, hooking-up, Cronin said that for many students, this “solution” isn’t working.  She said that most students say hooking-up is the casual thing to do, but asking someone for a cup of coffee is the really formal thing to do.  So she decided to make it a rule in her capstone class that students ask and go out with someone on a date – or they would fail.

She said that all the students said “it actually wasn’t as bad as I thought, asking somebody, and then going on a date.”

The “dating assignment,” as she calls it, includes several rules:

1. Ask the person out in person – “I will allow a live phone call, but I prefer in person,” said Cronin.
2. The date should be within three days of when you ask – “At Boston College, if you ask someone out and then you say say ‘How about next weekend?’ [...] within three or four days that person has asked 112 of their closest friends what they all think about you and [...] all their friends are living vicariously through them [...] it completely freaks the person out and then they say no.”
3. Have a plan
4. Know what a “level 1 date” is – 60 to 90 minutes long and it has to be local
5. Pay -  If you ask, you pay.
6. Learn to send and receive signals
7. Tell only three people.
8. No alcohol
9. No physical interaction – except, at the end, an A-frame hug is acceptable
10. Say “thank you.” – after the date

Cronin says her dating assignment is a way she can help solve the problem of hooking-up.  It’s a problem, she says, because “I talk to students all the time and no body seems particularly happy with it.”  Cronin says students tell her they “feel isolated and alone even though [they] have so many friends.” and that she hears “a lot from students about how lonely, depressed, and sad they feel.”

Cronin concluded her talk by explaining the two problems with hooking-up:

Practically speaking it doesn’t seem to be making you guys happy [and] philosophically speaking, I gotta say there’s a real problem with hooking-up. [...] Just about every student I talk to, except the occasional person with a vocation to religious life, says I want to get married and I probably want to have kids.  But hook-up culture gives you all the habits that you don’t need in marriage.  Hook-up culture is about detaching [...] and it forces you to pretend to drive away your own feelings, to pretend they’re not there. [...] It makes us believe sexual expression means not so much, but in fact [...] your sexual expression means everything.

Cronin fielded several questions after the talk and selected the winners, from students in attendance, of several gift certificates to restaurants which she said must be used on a date.  Overall, the talk was well attended and well received, and fostered discussion on the importance of traditional dating relationships as opposed to the recent phenomenon of hooking-up.

Mass in Latin at St. Mary's

On Monday December 7^th, Fr. Gary Gurtler, S.J. offered a Latin Mass in the Ordinary Form in St. Mary’s chapel, in anticipation of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Servers Philip Micele, Mike Williams, and Nate Sanders assisted at the altar while Jon Tveit, Dan Burns, and Austin Travis provided Gregorian chant with approximately 30 students in attendance.

To most, the Mass was slightly different than what is customarily seen, yet still had much about it which was recognizable.  Maintaining this familiarity is a type of “bonus” to offering the Mass in the Ordinary Form, while still being able to add more traditional elements such as the Latin language, bells, incense, and Gregorian chant.  While not as elaborate or, as some would argue, sublime as the traditional Mass, it nonetheless seemed to inspire reverence among those in attendance, as the reactions of many were quite favorable.

While some, myself included, would argue in favor of the traditional Mass’s superiority over the new rite, an increase in liturgical reverence is certainly linkable to deeper love for the Catholic faith, regardless of the form of the Mass in which it occurs.  To continue the work of restoration while allowing students to maintain a stronger degree of familiarity with what is going on at the altar is, while not the ideal place to stop, certainly a step in the right direction, and one of many ways in which a more widespread love and devotion for Christ in the Eucharist may be intensified and restored at Boston College.

This past Sunday, the 2^nd Sunday of Advent, was also the feast of St. Nicholas.  St. Nicholas (270-346) was Bishop of Myra (modern day Turkey) and his reputation for gift giving became the model for Santa Claus. St. Nicholas Day is celebrate with various customs around the world, the most well known is that of the Netherlands and Germany, where children leave out their shoes on the eve of St. Nicholas and the next day find the shoes filled with sweets and small gifts.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation. On this day, we honor Mary and that she was conceived without the stain of original sin in order to bear Christ into the world.

During her apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, Mary said “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Four years before this, on December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX had confirmed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception with the bull Ineffabilis Deus.

Mary is recognized as the collaborator of Christ in the Redemption of mankind, as the Mother of the Redeemer. As such, she could not have been stained with original sin, as was “full of Grace” from the moment of her conception. She is, of course, fully human and not divine, but is the way in which God came to earth as man.

In today’s gospel, we hear of the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said she would conceive the Son of God. “…The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God…” (Luke 1:26-38)

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of Obligation, a feast day on which Catholics are required to participate in Mass even though it is not a Sunday. The next Holy Day of Obligation is Christmas followed by Mary, Mother of God on January 1, 2010.

Today, let us pray for the intercession of Mary, the Immaculate Conception.

O holy Mary, Mother of God, 
Queen of heaven and earth, 
I humbly beseech you 
from the bottom of my heart, 
to aid me in my need; 
there are none that can withstand your power.

O show me herein you are my Mother.
 O Mary, conceived without sin, 
pray for us 
who have recourse to thee. 

O Mary, conceived without sin,
 pray for us 
who have recourse to thee. 

O Mary, conceived without sin,
 pray for us
 who have recourse to thee. 

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands.

 Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. 

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. 

Amen.

Fast forwarded to November 17, 2009, when United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the English translation of the third edition of the Missal, which though not completely finished (the Vatican must still translate some of antiphons for the Psalms into English), is now on track to be used in parishes around the country within the next couple of years.

For most of us, we just want to know what these changes actually are, and why they are happening.  I will try to provide a brief synopsis of a few of the changes, though for more in depth explanations, check out the USCCB’s website.

Currently at a few points in the liturgy  the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” and the congregation responds, “And also with you.”  The new response will be “And with your spirit,” because it is a literal translation from the Latin “Et cum spiritu tuo”, which is a reference to “The Lord be with your spirit,” “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,” and “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,” in 2 Timothy 4:22, Galatians 6:18, and Philippians 4:23 respectively (New American Bible).

Another change in translation is in the Confiteor, the prayer that begins “I confess to Almighty God” found in the Penitential Act.  The key change to the new translation is:

[...] in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; [...]

This is a closer translation to the Latin, “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.”

There are also several changes to the wording of the Nicene Creed.  First, rather than saying “We believe,” it will be “I believe,” a literal translation of the Latin “Credo” which is in the first person singular.   Another change to the Creed is that rather than “was born of the Virgin Mary,” it will read, “was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,” a closer translation of “Et incarnatus est [...] ex Maria Virgine.”

In the Creed, and throughout the Mass, there are several other changes, all of which attempt to be closer translations of the original Latin.

According to the Catholic News Agency, the translation is expected to be approved sometime in 2010.  Parishioners, however, will not start hearing the new translation in Mass until after the full approval process has been completed and the new Order of the Mass is promulgated.

For more information and for full texts of the proposed translation, click the below link:

Rep. Patrick Kennedy

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, a Democrat representing the 1st congressional district of Rhode Island, claimed this week that Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Rhode Island asked him not to receive communion because of his stance on abortion rights.

Kennedy, in a recent telephone interview with The Providence Journal, said that Bishop Tobin “instructed me not to take Communion and said that he has instructed the diocesan priests not to give me Communion.”

Bishop Tobin promptly responded to the claim, writing “I am disappointed and really surprised that Congressman Patrick Kennedy has chosen to reopen the public discussion about his practice of the faith and his reception of Holy Communion.”

“On February 21, 2007, I wrote to Congressman Kennedy stating: ‘In light of the Church’s clear teaching, and your consistent actions, therefore, I believe it is inappropriate for you to be receiving Holy Communion and I now ask respectfully that you refrain from doing so.’”

Kennedy’s statement comes just weeks after his criticism of Catholic bishops for opposing health care reform that includes increased abortion funding

The Providence Journal reported the interview by stating that “Tobin has forbidden Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy to receive the Roman Catholic sacrament of Holy Communion,” a claim that, as evidenced in Kennedy’s statement, was clearly not true.

As Kennedy’s bishop, Tobin does reserve the right to invoke Canon 915, which states that “Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.”

However, it appears that in this situation, he merely requested that Kennedy not receive communion because of his “manifest grave sin” of supporting abortion, what the Catholic Church calls “gravely contrary to the moral law.”

Bishop Tobin’s insistence on keeping correspondence confidential further demonstrated his commitment not to make the matter public.

According to Tobin, Kennedy acknowledged that his “pastoral advice was confidential in nature and given with the best intentions for my personal spiritual welfare,” in a letter on February 28, 2007.

By publicizing the information now, in the heat of the healthcare debate, Kennedy has clearly sought (and received) media attention for his position as a pro-abortion Catholic.  Tobin’s response, however, clarified Kennedy’s apparently inaccurate statement, while also continuing to uphold the Church’s commitment to the right to life.

Relevant Links:

Kennedy: Barred from Communion, the original article in The Providence Journal

Statement from Bishop Tobin

Canon 915, Code of Canon Law

Commentary from Canon Lawyer, Edward Peters

Left to Right: Professor Lisa Cahill, Fr. Jack Butler, Shelia McMahon, Fr. Joseph Marchese, and Tammy Liddell

In a talk “Sex & the Spirit,”  Boston College faculty and staff discussed topics and answered student questions on Catholic teachings on sexuality.  The panel was comprised of Professor Lisa Cahill of the Theology Department, Shelia McMahon of the Women’s Resource Center, Fr. Jack Butler, S.J. of Campus Ministry, Fr. Joseph Marchese of the Office of First Year Experience, and Tammy Liddell of Campus Ministry.

Each panelist made brief opening comments on topics they thought were important for the discussion.  Professor Cahill began by stating, “The teaching of the Catholic Church about sexuality is fairly simple – it is that sex has an inherent meaning and it has a meaning in the context of human relationship.  It has two specific types of meaning.  One is its ability to lead to the birth of children…the other meaning, or purpose, of sex is love.”

She explained that, “Sex is moral, according to the Catholic Church, and also other Christian traditions, when it is loving and when it respects its procreative potential…a specific development of that in the Catholic tradition…is that the procreative meaning of sex rules out the use of artificial birth control….no condoms, no birth control.”

Shelia McMahon emphasized the importance of open discussions of sexuality, because when she was a teenager, she “often felt really alone in [the] conversation,” because it was uncomfortable talking parents, and discussions in class were purely academic.

Fr. Marchese spoke about his experiences talking with students on the topic of sexuality and how he, “began to understand that we had to define a theology and psychology of human sexuality that made sense to our students, but also [one] that they would share with their own sons and daughters if they had those sons and daughters eventually.”

Following the introductory statements, the panelists answered questions submitted by students in the audience.

Several questions were regarding sinfulness and sexual activity.  Cahill responded by saying that there are certain actions “that in and of themselves are defined as sin – like masturbation and sex before marriage,” but that “the basic question is, ‘Is this really how I want to express my sexuality?’”

Students also asked questions about how Boston College should support GLBT students on campus.  Cahill had earlier mentioned this topic, saying, “The Catholic Church does not condemn people who are gay, but it urges them to live a celibate life and to reserve sexual activity to heterosexual committed couples.”  Responding further to the question, panelists affirmed the need to be supportive of all students, regardless of sexual orientation.

Throughout the talk, panelists frequently stated that sex is appropriate only in “committed relationships.”  Fr. Butler explained the terminology, saying, “I want to get it clear: sex in the Christian Catholic tradition only takes place in marriage.  And the reason it only takes place in marriage is because it has the parameters of protecting the people because they made a decision to be committed to each other.”

“When I say commitment I mean marriage –the decision to be committed,” said Fr. Butler.

In response to a student’s question about what it feels like to “be in love,” Fr. Butler responded that “In the Roman Catholic Christian tradition, love is not a feeling, love is not an emotion.”  Love, he said, is a choice and a commitment.

Tammy Liddell had said earlier, “The conversations that are most meaningful to [students] are the conversations [students] are having with one another.” Responding to the question “What next?,” the panelists proposed frequent small group discussions on campus about sexuality and Catholic teaching, in addition to larger panel discussions.

Overall, “love as a commitment”  was a strong theme of the event.  Panelists stressed the importance of living a life of sexual authenticity, honesty, and integrity – a life that is affirmed by Catholic teaching.

Father Luke has an interesting idea concerning vocations in New York City, encouraging college students to return and make a contribution to their home diocese, whether that be through a religious or lay vocation. Keeping talented Catholics who pursue higher education outside of New York interested in their home diocese could really bring a revival to the religious institutions in the greater New York area. Its a fantastic idea, and as a native of the Archdiocese of New York, I hope it goes well.